LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville community mourned the loss of many souls in 2023, a list highlighted by legends and heroes, hall-of-famers and servants, fathers and friends.
Among them are sports icons who changed basketball in Louisville and Indiana as well as those devoted to make others' lives better.
Here are 10 Louisville or southern Indiana icons who passed away in 2023, presented in the chronological order of their death:
Jeremiah Buckner
Jeremiah Buckner, also known as Ekoe, was shot and killed Jan. 3 at the corner of Esquire Alley and Roy Wilkins Avenue, in Louisville's Central Business District, adjacent to the Russell neighborhood.
Buckner is one of the founding members of Louisville-based singing group Linkin' Bridge.
The group became household names after making it to the finals on the reality show "America's Got Talent" in 2016.
Buckner took the stage with his fellow bandmates, Montre Davis, Shon "China" Lacy, and Rome Kimbrough, on finale night of America's Got Talent singing "See You Again," by rapper Wiz Khalifa, featuring singer Charlie Puth.
In the opening, Buckner sings, "Why'd you have to leave so soon, why'd you have to go?"
The song echoes in many minds now, following Buckner's death.
Buckner is one of the founding members of Louisville-based singing group Linkin' Bridge.
Tim Girton
Louisville radio listeners knew the voice of Tim Gerard Girton on the airwaves of Magic 101.3 and B96.5. He died in January at the age of 58.
"He was a person that was really dedicated to being the best person that he could be and constantly developing his self and learning new things and allowing his creativity to shine through his work in radio, through his work in writing," Girton's daughter, Talia, said. "He was just constantly creating. He had this amazing energy -- this kind warm energy that he just gave off to everyone."
Girton was also a professional photographer after he left radio.
He is survived by his girlfriend, Misty Meredith, daughter Talia Girton, son London Girton-White, Whitney White, Adam Kremer and Whitney Crawford, his grandson, Jeremiah Girton-White, as well as two sisters, three brothers and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
The services will take place at Highlands Funeral Home.
Judge Sean Delahanty
Former District Court Judge Sean Delahanty, who served on the bench for 20 years until he lost his seat in the 2018 election, passed away in January at the age of 71.
Delahanty, who comes from a long family of judges and lawyers, could be acerbic, sarcastic, bombastic and thoughtful in the same breath, forsaking a lot of the stiff formality typical in courtrooms.
"You never had to guess what Judge Delahanty was thinking," said former district judge David Bowles, who had an office next to Delahanty for years.
Delahanty was known as a vocal advocate for easing jail overcrowding by lowering bonds and releasing more defendants who he believed didn’t pose a threat.
He had a years-long battle with Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell over several issues, including the legality of a traffic court program launched by O’Connell.
Delahanty was also known for his role in a controversial court TV realty show called “Deadbeat,” about parents who were behind on child support.
He graduated from DeSales High School, the University of Louisville in 1974 and then Brandeis School of Law in 1980. He was married and had two adult children.
Delahanty, who comes from a long family of judges and lawyers, could be acerbic, sarcastic, bombastic and thoughtful in the same breath, forsaking a lot of the stiff formality typical in courtrooms.
Tom Wine
Tom Wine, Louisville's top prosecutor since 2012 and previously a long-time judge, died in may after a brief illness.
Wine was known for his wry sense of humor, Christian faith, and easygoing nature both on and off the bench. Wine, 67, was a married father of two.
The announcement came as a shock to his prosecutors within the Commonwealth's Attorney's office as Wine had only been sick for a couple of weeks or so. Sources close to Wine said he had recently been diagnosed with cancer.
Wine was elected as the Jefferson Commonwealth's Attorney in November 2012 after spending about two decades as a judge, including six years with the Kentucky Court of Appeals.
Denise Clayton, who served as a circuit court and appeals court judge with Wine and worked with him on the racial fairness commission for years, said he was a "very kind, nice guy.
"He was fun to be around, a prankster," she said. "He was also very attentive to his work, dedicated to doing a good job. ... He was a man of integrity, a person of skill, a person that was concerned with the community."
Thomas Wine was first elected as the Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney in 2012.
Denny Crum
Denny Crum, who took the reins of the University of Louisville men's basketball program in 1971 and over three decades led it, and in some ways the city, into the national spotlight, died in May at the age of 86.
Crum had been in declining health in recent years and had suffered strokes in 2017, 2019 and 2022 but continued to be an unabashed supporter of U of L sports and the city where he came to stay.
Crum's life accomplishments would fill a rolled-up program. Two-time national champion. Six Final Fours. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994. He lived to see the court that Cardinal teams play on, the Central Avenue overpass on campus, and a new dorm at the university named after him. In 2022, he welcomed one of his former players, Kenny Payne, into the U of L coaching seat he occupied for so long.
But his legacy for the school and city runs even deeper.
Louisville's basketball success did not begin with Crum, but he is the central figure of the university's sports history. And even that isn't saying enough, considering that the growth of the university, and for that matter, the emergence of the city of Louisville itself, were concurrent with the growth and success of Crum's basketball program. Some have said his program's success was a catalyst for those things. And Crum was the one who flipped the switch.
He passed away at the age of 86.
Rick Howlett
Rick Howlett, a well-known and beloved Kentucky broadcast journalist, died in August at the age of 62.
Howlett first joined Louisville Public Media in 2001 and was a host on 89.3 WFPL.
"He was a trusted voice for our community, and he was beloved by his family and colleagues," 89.3 WFPL News Louisville posted on Facebook. "We miss him dearly and remember him for his kindness, intelligence, humor and professionalism."
Last year, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and transitioned to palliative care a few weeks before his death.
Rick Howlett died on Saturday night, reported by Louisville Public Media.
Brereton Jones
Former Kentucky Gov. Brereton Jones died in September at the age of 84.
Jones served first as lieutenant governor and then governor from 1991-95. Gov. Andy Beshear posted news of his passing on social media.
"I was sad to learn that former Governor and Lieutenant Gov. Brereton Jones has passed away," Beshear wrote. "Gov. Jones was a dedicated leader and a distinguished thoroughbred owner who worked to strengthen Kentucky for our families. Please join Britainy and me in praying for Libby and his family."
Jones was a successful real estate developer and horse breeder. He and wife Libby founded Airdrie Stud in Frankfort, Kentucky. The farm is internationally recognized for its thoroughbred horses.
Jones served first as Lt. Gov. and then governor from 1991 to 1995.
Ray Foushee
Ray Foushee, a local television personality best remembered for his years on WDRB with distinctive voice and his a knowledge of TV history, died in October at the age of 72.
He joined WDRB in 1980 after making a name for himself at the Courier-Journal writing for the Saturday Scene section. Foushee was an amazing TV historian who could remember the smallest detail or name actors that played obscure roles. His weekend column in the 1970s, called The TV Set, allowed him to answer just about any viewer question about one of his favorite topics.
Once Foushee arrived at WDRB, he embraced his job as a promotions manager. He became the station's first and most widely seen on-air personality. He hosted telethons, did in-studio movie intros and hosted a wildly popular show called "TV As It Used to Be." It was a special show that allowed Ray to reach back into the vaults and revisit popular shows from the 50s, 60s and 70s. It was his dream come true.
Ray also introduced each night's slate of programming and even giving background on shows. It amazed the audience with his wealth of knowledge.
He worked on air and behind the scenes at the station for 38 years.
Bob Knight
Legendary Indiana University men's basketball coach Bob Knight died in November at the age of 83.
Knight roared into Bloomington from West Point in 1971, with a brush cut, the wiry, athletic body of a former Ohio State basketball player and a brilliant ability to teach winning basketball.
Knight's all-time coaching record was 902-371. His total wins ranks fourth all-time. He coached at IU from 1971-2000 and won three national titles.
Nicknamed "The General" during his time in Bloomington, Knight and he was fired from IU in 2000. He once hit a police officer in Puerto Rico, threw a chair across the court and was accused of wrapping his hands around a player’s neck.
Writing something that everyone will celebrate about Bob Knight and what he meant to Indiana University as well as all of college basketball is as difficult as trying to beat Knight’s best teams in his prime.
Julian Carroll
Julian Carroll, Kentucky's 54th governor, died in December at the age of 92.
Born in 1931 in West Paducah, Kentucky, Carroll, a Democrat, spent almost two-thirds of his life in public service, his family said. He served for three years as an Air Force attorney after graduating from the University of Kentucky's Law School in 1956.
In 1962, Carroll was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives where he served five terms, including Speaker of the House from 1968-1970. In 1971, he was elected lieutenant governor to Gov. Wendell Ford, whom he would succeed to serve out the final year of his term before being elected the state's 54th governor in 1975.
A one-term governor, Carroll "increased funding for primary and secondary schools, created the Kentucky Department of Energy, and advocated the use of coal to offset energy crisis," according to the National Governor's Association, where Carroll served as chair in 1978.
He was also known for his impact on the state's park system, including its expansion, and his opposition to damming the Reed River.
Carroll's family said he passed away just before 5 a.m. Sunday at Frankfort Regional Medical Center.
Bonus:
Old National Bank
Five bank executives were killed when a gunman opened fire in a downtown Louisville office building in April.
Louisville Interim Police Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel identified the dead as Tommy Elliott, 63; Joshua Barrick, 40; Jim Tutt, 64; and Juliana Farmer, 45. Louisville police tweeted Monday night that 57-year-old Deana Eckert also has died.
Elliott, the bank’s senior vice president, was well known in local and state Democratic circles, serving as chair of former Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s 2011 mayoral campaign, a member of Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s transition team last year and chair of Gov. Andy Beshear’s 2019 inaugural committee.
Barrick was a senior vice president of commercial real estate banking at Old National, where he had worked since last August, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was a parishioner at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in St. Matthews, where a vigil was held Monday evening. The church's pastor, Rev. Shayne Duvall, remembered Barrick as someone always willing to help.
Tutt had been a market executive at the bank since 2015, his LinkedIn profile says, and previously was principal of the financial consulting company VineBranch Enterprises.
Farmer was a loan analyst, according to her LinkedIn profile. Farmer was described by friends as a mother, grandmother, sister, daughter and friend. She had recently moved to Louisville.
Eckert was the bank's executive administrative officer, her LinkedIn profile says.
Tommy Elliott, Joshua Barrick, Jim Tutt, Juliana Farmer and Deana Eckert died of injuries suffered in the shooting, according to Louisville Metro Police.
Tom Sobel
Tom Sobel, the original owner of Louisville's oldest comedy club, died in July at the age of 72.
Sobel opened The Funny Farm at the Mid City Mall in the Highlands in 1987. The name was changed to Comedy Caravan soon after.
Sobel sold Comedy Caravan in 2009. Since then, he focused on his TSM Artists and Comedy Caravan Talent booking names for comedy clubs across the country. According to the agency website, it has worked with talent over the past 28 years including Jerry Seinfeld, Ellen Degeneres, Chris Rock, Louis Anderson, Dennis Miller and Joan Rivers.
Many big name comedians credit Sobel with booking them early in their careers including Jay Leno, Roseanne and Sinbad.
John Dant
John Dant, the owner of The Back Door in Louisville's Tyler Park neighborhood, died in October at the age of 62.
Born in Louisville, Dant attended St. Xavier High School and Atherton High School as his family moved around during his childhood.
At the age of 26, he acquired The Back Door and grew it to one of the more popular local bars in town, known around for the chicken wings.
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